ISDS 361B, Fall 2020

Dr. T. Newby

Page 1

 

ISDS 361B- Group Project: Workforce Scheduling PL

 

Due date: 12/6/2020 at 10PM.

Contribution: 25 points (4% of the course grade)

 

The goal of this group project is for you to apply the concepts of linear programming

optimization that you have learned in class and apply them to a workforce scheduling for Bixie

Manufacturing company. From the results, your team will write a report with recommendations

to the operation manager, Mr. Humphrey Appleby.

 

This project will be carried out in teams of 2-3 members in a group.

 

 

Assignment Brief

 

You have been appointed as a business analyst team at Bixie Manufacturing. Your first project is

to provide an analysis of workforce scheduling for the upcoming 6 months and make appropriate

recommendations in relation to a hiring plan with cost analysis.

 

A. Background Bixie Manufacturing has two manufacturing plants located in Tucson, Arizona. Product demand

varies considerably from month to month, causing Bixie Manufacturing extreme difficulty in

workforce scheduling. Recently the company started hiring temporary workers supplied by

Staffing Unlimited, a company that specializes in providing temporary employees for firms in

the Tucson area. Staffing Unlimited offered to provide temporary employees under three contract

options that differ in terms of the length of employment and the cost. The three options are

summarized:

 

Option Length of Employment Cost

1 One-month $2000

2 Two-month $4800

3 Three-month $7500

 

The longer contract periods are more expensive because Staffing Unlimited experiences greater

difficulty finding temporary workers who are willing to commit to longer work assignments.

 

Over the next six months, Bixie projects the following needs for additional employees:

 

Month Employees Needed

January 12

February 17

March 19

April 23

May 20

June 12

 

 

ISDS 361B, Fall 2020

Dr. …